Washing-machine



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

R. SMITH, OF TOWANDA, PENNSYLVANIA.

WASHING-MACHINE. i i iA .L

Specification of Letters Patent No. 15,711, dated September 9, 1856.

T0 all whom 1f/may concern Be it known that I, RILEY SMITH, of Towanda, in the county of Bradford and State of Pennsylvania, have invented cer* tain new and useful Improvements in Washing-Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part thereof, in whichj Figure 1, represents the machine in perspective. VFig. 2, represents a central longitudinal and vertical section through the same.

Similar letters of reference where they occur in the separate` figures denote like parts in both.

To enable those skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation in connection with the drawings.

A, represents the box, supported on legs B, B, &c. A piece C, is permanently connected to the bottom ofthe box on its inside, and at that end thereof where the operator stands. A screw bolt D, is secured to this bottom piece C, and projects upward terminating in a screw thread over which runs a nut E.

F, is a head block, having a slot G in it, which slot receives the screw bolt D, and this head block F, can be adjusted by means of said slot (or entirely removed), and when properly arranged be permanently held by running down the nut E, which should have a washer under it. A gain H, is cut in the head block F, in which is hung by a pivoting pin I, one end of a lever or brace J, the other end of said lever or brace being similarly pivoted to the levers K, at or near theircenters, by a pin a. A hand rubbing board L, is arranged on the levers K, its upper end being provided with handles M, and the lower ends of the levers K, are pivoted, by a pin N, to the beater, or

lever rubber O. The beater O, is composed of top and bottom pieces P, Q, with inclined ribs R, extending from one to the other, so spaced as to leave waterways between them. The top piece P, rests and moves upon guide pieces S, attached to the sides of the box A, and the bottom piece Q, slides upon the slats T, arranged on the bottom of the box, so that the water can freely pass backward when the beater is forced up against the clothes. The end of the box is also furnished with a series of ribs U, projecting forward at their tops, so as to turn or throw the clothes toward the beater, and the tops of these end ribs are covered by a cap piece V to prevent the water from beingthrown out of the box.

The object of my machine is to avoid the unnecessary beating or rubbing to which the clothes are subjected, as for instance, in washing shirts, as at present practiced, the whole piece is beaten until the soil on the collar and wrist bands, which is the greatest, is removed; this unnecessarily wears out the body of the garment. By my machine the clothes are beaten moderately to remove the dirt, and then the beater is drawn back, until the parts are in the position indicated by the red lines. The operator then, by hand, on the board L, washes out the dirtiest parts. The clothes may then be returned to the box, and by taking hold of the handles M, beagain beaten, washed or rinsed. This connecting of the hand board with the rubber so that either may be used, as occasion may require, not only makes a convenient machine, but saves the clothes from much useless rubbing. The lever J, which connects the beater and hand board, serves as guide, brace, and level, in operating, or converting the machine from a hand to a power machine.

0, c, are holes in the levers K, to admit of i adjusting the lever J, thereto.

Having thus fully described the nature of my invention, I would state that I am aware a hand rubbing board has been used in the same machine with a rubbing board lgperated by levers. This I do not claim,

What I do claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is` Connecting the hand and lever rubbers,by a pivoted brace, which serves the double purpose of a guide in operating the lever rubber, and a brace for raising up and holding in a convenient position, the hand rubber, the whole being arranged for the purpose, and in the manner set forth.

RILEY SMITH. Witnesses:

A. B. SToUGHToN, C. COHEN. 

